Native American Literature English III

Our American identity as we know it is a product of our past. Our class will focus on literature which reveals how we arrived at our society and culture today. We study Native American literature out of a respect for the indigenous cultures who were here before the European explorers as well as a respect for their cultural and literary influence throughout the years. Historical & Cultural Context

Indigenous Americans inhabited this continent before anyone else. They endured many invasions from the Spaniards for the following primary reasons: 1. land 2. gold 3. crops (all of which were plentiful)

Before the arrival of Europeans in the 15 th century, The Americans were already home to thriving populations of American Indians –“Columbus did not discover a new world; he established contact between two worlds, both already old” (J. H. Parry)

Indian removal was legalized with the Removal Act of 1830, which stipulated: 1. the tribe “consent” to move 2. new land was to replace the old

Initially, American Indians vastly outnumbered the colonists; however, the settlers exposed the native population to diseases to which they had no immunity, such as small pox

Some Dominant Themes & Motifs: relationships between humans and animals respect and reverence for mother earth and nature land as the strength of the people village/community/tribe as sovereign cyclical patterns: renewal and continuance importance of tribal traditions and history

Oral Tradition The languages of Native American tribes were never written down before the English arrived from Europe. Their stories were passed verbally from generation to generation. The Oral Tradition – These stories were reliant upon repetition –Used in ceremonial situations – Repetition aided in memorization –Provided narrative cohesion –Participatory – Powerful and unifying

Imagery & Repetition Imagery- images formed in the reader’s mind relating to a story –Example: tree, water world, turtle Repetition- repeating something over and over –Shows importance and meaning; also helps listeners since they were oral stories Symbolism- items representing something else; hold great value

Myths The purpose of myths is to seek to explain or rationalize one or more aspects of the world or a society. Myths usually have religious or supernatural elements and have a character that is immoral. Origin myth-a myth that explains how something bega

Common Themes Creation The trickster The gambler Abduction Migration

Trickster Tales One form of creation story Vary from tribe to tribe, but contain the same basic qualities: – Trickster are more than deceivers who make us laugh By crossing social boundaries, they both break rules and show how important rules are – Tricksters are creators in their own rights

Creation Stories Similar to the account in The Bible Similar from tribe to tribe Used to explain how the world/universe was created Explained the origin of man – Sometimes had animal characteristics Sometimes non-gender, or only one gender –(usually female—mother earth) In every case, there is a sense of birth—both of the world and humans

Code Talkers in WWII During WWII, bilingual Native Americans, mainly Navajo, transmitted messages through codes for the United States Army. The codes were never broken by the enemy.

Native American Wisdom “The earth was created by the assistance of the sun, and it should be left as was…The earth and myself are of one mind.”--Chief Joseph, Nez Perce “All things are connected…Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth…This we know. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web he does to himself.” --Chief Seattle